ALMA HILL

Allegany County

Alma Hill – elev.2548’

The structure on Alma is an 80’ Aermotor LS40 tower that was erected by the Conservation Department in 1950. In additiontothetower,a1941modelobserver’scabinwasconstructedatthesametime.ThistowerisoneofthefewremainingNewYork Statetowerstobearamanufacturerstaglocatedononeofthe legs.It reads “Aermotor Co. – ChicagoIll.”AlmatowerwasneverstaffedaccordingtothetowerreportsintheConservationReportstotheLegislature,which ended on 1965. A lot of towers that were built around 1950 were never properly funded. They were staffed sporadicallyandonlyduringtimesofhighfiredangerbyotherLandsandforestspersonnel.Withtheadventofaerialdetection,thetowerwas“officially”closedattheendofthe1971seasonandlateroffered for sale at public auction in 1973. (JJE). The high bidder was the landowner on whose land the tower stood. The tower still remains on lands now owned by Dennis Durham and is in “great shape” as reported by Paul Laskey during a recent visit in 2002.(PL)